Training Services l The Process

Important: All the necessary information on the KATANA Training Process can be found in the KATANA Ecosystem Group.

Step 1: Matchmaking Time

To proceed in the KATANA process you will have to cooperate and form so called “consortia” consisting of up to 4 members and at least 1 beneficiary who has been selected during the peer to peer evaluation phase.

To help you in the teambuilding process the KATANA consortium will organize several Matchmaking events across Europe where you can meet other KATANA beneficiaries and/or other potential cooperation partners.

Important: Every SME within the scope of KATANA can join in at this stage, also those applicants who did not make it into the final 100.

Meetups

You can find a list of all Matchmaking events in our KATANA Meetup Group which you find via this link.

Beneficiaries

As soon as you have registered, you can find a List of the Top 100 beneficiaries in the KATANA Ecosystem. Here you can check out their videos and contact details from fellow participants or update your own profile.

You may contact potential partners directly via email or search for specific competencies via the Ecosystem group. In the section “Lost&Found” you can see what others are offering or searching for. Also, you can make an announcement yourself.

KATANA Pool

You may also source the KATANA Pool where interested parties from outside the KATANA Top100 can announce what they may offer to teams and what kind of ideas they would like to support. The respective form can be found here.

STEP 2: How to create a consortium

I found my team – what’s next?

The matchmaking events as well as the list of beneficiaries, the KATANA Pool and the YouTube Channel shall support the KATANA teams in finding suitable team members for their KATANA project.

The final project teams – the so called “consortia” – need to by either cross-country [meaning: consisting of members from different countries] or cross-sectoral [meaning: consisting of members from different sectors]. Consortia shall include 2-4 members of which at least 1 member has got to be a selected KATANA beneficiary.

You will need to make sure to provide all the necessary information [e.g. who is your partner? Is he/she also a KATANA beneficiary? What are you planning to do?]. The KATANA group administrator will then generate a personal team group where you and your team can access all the training materials and work on your business model.

Step 3: Make use of the Training Services

Roll up your sleeves!

You found your partners and created a consortium? Then it is time to get the work started.
In your KATANA Team Group you can develop your idea and business model further.
Also, you find helpful documents, such as the Business Model Canvas, and information on the training services.
KATANA Training Services include.

Business Webinars

Via the KATANA Ecosystem and the KATANA Team group you have access to various webinars dealing with different entrepreneurship topics. In the first phase of KATANA, it is recommended to watch these carefully.

2. Online Courses

You will get access to the lean launchpad online courses in the KATANA Ecosystem on a bi-weekly basis. Each of the courses will cover one section of the business model canvas. Your homework will be to update your canvas accordingly. The updated version shall be uploaded to your KATANA Team Group within a week

3. Online Discussion
Every other Friday, you can address questions and learnings in an interactive online discussion via Skype.
These sessions will not be mandatory but they will serve as a platform to discuss questions regarding the Business Model Canvas with the other participants and KATANA Coaches. You are cordially invited to send questions you want to see discussed before the online session to zimmermann@bwcon.de

4. 1:1 Coaching
In case your questions are still not answered after the online discussion you may request a 1:1 online consultation with KATANA coaches.
The online coaching will take place via Skype, registration will be possible via Doodle.

Step 4: KATANA Bootcamp

B-B-B-Booootcamp

The KATANA Bootcamp will be a 3-day-event with a networking and teambuilding event on 7th July, the coaching day on 8th July and the pitching day on 9th July. During the coaching day, you can attend different workshops covering topics such as Marketing, Teambuilding, Agile Development, IP Rights etc. as well as an intensive Pitch Training as well as 3 hours of 1:1 Coaching Sessions in the afternoon.

Participation in the Bootcamp is mandatory for all KATANA beneficiaries. We will reserve up to 2 spots per team.

The next steps:

You will receive an info pack with information regarding the course of action of the event, the venue and travelling details via email.

You need to confirm their participation and fill in the online form as soon as possible after the reception of this email. The email will include the necessary registration link.

You will need to prepare a presentation for your elevator pitch (2 Minutes) for the coaching and the pitching day on 9th July 2017. If they would like to use slides, we kindly ask you to send them to us before the coaching day until 5th July at the latest.

Important: The best teams from each KATANA track will be given the chance to pitch their ideas at the Heidelberg Innovation Forum in the afternoon of the 9th July.

If you plan to attend the Heidelberg Innovation Forum 2017 as a visitor you will have to register separately.

Step 5: Crowdfunding

Time to attract Early Adopters

After having the Bootcamp and Online Courses completed, teams will be asked to prepare their Crowdfunding Campaigns.
To do so, you will use the KATANA Crowdfunding Platform that will be available for the teams by mid June.

The Katana reward platform is open for all teams to test with and come back with questions but actual campaigns should be uploaded after the boot camp specifically the10th of July.

The crowdfunding campaigns should all be uploaded until the end of August so that there is still a month for comments and feedback from the KATANA team until end of September when the campaigns should be final.

Hint:
You should use the Bootcamp and the respective workshops to gather knowledge on how to start your crowdfunding campaigns. We will have several crowdfunding experts onsite!